Sarah Bhakita

My name is Sarah Bhakita, and I am a coach at the East Africa Cricket Foundation.

I got involved with the EACDT because I have a passion for cricket, and would like to see the young ones involved with this lovely game.

My own cricketing hero is Sachin Tendulkar, a great batsman who retains humility amidst all the success.

My favourite EACDT moment? When all the kids came together to compete. Seeing how far the kids had come was overwhelming. They played so well, and it showed that we are going far. The EACDT has given the kids a chance to shine, and impacted on their character, a big contributing factor to their success in the future.

I started playing cricket back in 2000 at the age of 12, through the primary school cricket development Programme conducted by Kenya Cricket Association. I fell in love with the game the first time I played it. The competitions were thrilling.

I joined the Kenya Women’s National Cricket team in 2002 at a tournament in Kampala, Uganda. It wasn’t easy. I was young, and playing ladies who were way older than me. But I was up to the task, and by the end of the tournament I was named the youngest and most promising player in East Africa.

It was an amazing experience, being out of the country for the first time, an opportunity that I would not have had without cricket. I’ve been playing for the national team from then till the present day.

I’m a right handed batswoman and a leg spinner. I’ve had highs and lows throughout my journey, but the most outstanding high was back in 2008, during a tournament here in Kenya. We were playing Rwanda, and I scored 186 not out. At that time, it was a record that had not been reached by any lady in Africa.

My parents were not well off, so my education was in jeopardy due to lack of funds. But God came through for me through cricket. I got a scholarship that saw me through secondary school smoothly.

Cricket gave me a chance, and that’s why I decided to become a coach. I want a kids to experience what I experienced (or even more). I’ve had a chance to travel and experience different cultures. I have been where some of the kids are, and the opportunities out here are endless. They have enough talent to take them to heights they have never imagined before, and with the character we are teaching them, they will be able to stay up there.

Cricket has given me endless opportunities; to meet with influential people, to travel, employment, and most of all it has influenced my personality and character.